“The Lord showed me, so that I did see clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men had commanded and set up, 

but in people's hearts …his people were his temple, and he dwelt in them.”  

—George Fox

Overview

This session will outline the history of the Quaker movement from its beginnings with George Fox in the 1650s and its evolution over time to the present. A mix of video and reading material, the session is about 1 hour.

Course Content (Note: Content is best viewed through Chrome or MS Edge internet browsers.)

1. How Quakerism Began (Video and Discussion Questions, 9 min.)

2. A Brief Quaker History (Online Article,  4 pages, Approx. 15 min.)

3. History in Practice Exercise: Understanding Quaker Faith Through the Journal of George Fox (Video and Discussion Questions, 10 min.)

4. Biographical Sketches of Early Quakers (Online Article, 6 Pages, Approx. 15-20 min.)

5. Quakers and Women in Ministry (Video and Discussion Questions, 10 min.)

6. African American Quaker Profiles (Article,  11 pages, Approx. 15-20 min.)

7. Christianity & The Universalist Perspective within Quakerism (Online Article, Approx. 5 min. Optional Video, 11 min.)

Next Steps

Excerpts from earlier Quaker Writings

• Elders  of Balby, Advices of the Elders of Balby (1656) - Balby Letter of 1656

Additional Resources

Suggested Readings

Shorter Pieces

• Quaker Chronology

• 7  Quaker Women Who Were Voices for Change (And books about them)

• Quakers and the American Women’s Suffrage Movement

• Quakers during the Holocaust

• Branches of Friends Today | Quaker Information Center

Books

• The Quaker Story (Available to borrow through the FMW Library or to purchase online.)

• The Rise of the Quakers (Available to borrow through the FMW Library or to purchase online.)  

• Black Fire: African American Quakers on Spirituality and Human Rights (Available to borrow through the FMW Library or to purchase online.)

Videos

• Narrative Theology: The Importance of Quaker Histories and Biographies 

• Looking at the Legacy of Bayard Rustin

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